Praise God in the Storm

I'm sure if you're like me,  music seems to always show up in your mind during life events and the memories of them. Summer time, Sweet Home Alabama, Christmas, Josh Groban's O Holy Night, and the funny one, My first year of dating Elizabeth, Caribbean Queen by Billy Ocean.. " now we're sharing the same dream". I guess she was my queen.

But tonight, sitting in a hospital room with my son, and my father directly above him on the 9th floor at Forsyth Hospital, the chorus to the Casting Crown's song, Praise you in the Storm has been on my mind.  
And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands, For You are who You are no matter where I am, And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand, You never left my side and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm

Fun times in Craig, Montana

Don't we take life for granted! Three weeks ago we were talking about final exams, caps, and gowns. The college milestone was coming upon us.

The night before Liz and I were planning on driving to Wake Forest to see our son graduate, we got a call from him saying he was going to the ER. It was 9:30 in the evening. I honestly discounted his complaint of pain thinking it was a gym rat muscle issue. We got to the hospital at midnight, only 11 hours before the commencement exercise. The doctor in the ER told us that Lewis had Pneumonia. I said "you're kidding". She gave him some antibiotics and we found a hotel at 1 AM and camped out in north Raleigh. Lewis' pain level was 9 as he described. 6 hours later we all got up and Lewis struggled across stage to receive his Bachelor of Arts in History.

He came home to only take his prescribed medicine and maintain a 102 temperature. Saturday night  we got snow and being the south, roads were impassable until Tuesday. I called the doctor's office thinking he needed a visit and because of the weather, I couldn't get thru Monday or Tuesday morning. At 11 on Tuesday, by what I think was providence of God, I ran into Dr. Joel Edwards. I explained what was going on. He said, "bring him to the office in one hour". We did that and discovered that his left lung was basically depleted of any air and full of infection. From there they sent us to Novant/Clemmons Hospital to do a CT scan, and immediately sent us to Forsyth Hospital for admission. Within 10 hours, they took Lewis into the OR and placed two tubes into his chest. Since then they have been draining his left lung of the "bad stuff".  This evening, they suggested that he may be here thru Christmas. He has leg compressions on, heart monitor, oxygen connected to his nose, two tubes that are between his ribs into his left lung, and two IVs in his arms.

Two observations:

First, Lewis has been so strong; brave. He hasn't complained. Frustrated, yes, but complained, no.
Every time the doctors come into the room to monitor, he listens and wants to know the facts. I know he's my boy, but I have witnessed a man.

Second, Liz and I have been pretty strong too. however, yesterday was significantly emotional. I had friends calling from home, Montana, California, Virginia and Tennessee. Social media created essentially a prayer meeting over Lewis. My bible fellowship group leader Jerry Morrison, called, visited and text me multiple times. On social media,  as I read the kindness of people's inquiries, prayer offerings and such, I can't explain to you the humbling nature of knowing my son and family are the recipients of such goodness. It all came to a climax when a high school friend, Karl Naylor posted on Facebook that he was praying for my son. We haven't seen each other in years, I mean probably 20 years, but he wanted to pray for what my son was going through. I don't know what it was about that specific post, but it was right before Lewis was being taken back to have the tubes placed in this chest. It broke me down (in a way I needed to be). His and all the other post was the switch for me to realize I'm not in control here; God has this, no matter what. 

So, I'll praise God in this storm.